Good advice

[Guest guest]

Caroline,

Thanks for helping me feel not totally useless -- was that really a

sentence??!! (I am smiling.) SEriously, I did appreciate your thoughts and I

promise not to feel silly anymore....unless it will help me feel better!!

Now, since you are always so good at reminding me to take care of myself I am

going to pretend that you are hitting me on the head and will call my doctor

tomorrow.

I've been on antibiotics for supposed bronchitis (diagnosed over the phone)

and think I really need to SEE a doctor who could actually help me. So I am

now promising you (and therefore me) that I will call first thing in the AM.

Now I have to go to bed because my sentences make no sense!!

have a good one,

[Guest guest]

Caroline,

Thanks for helping me feel not totally useless -- was that really a

sentence??!! (I am smiling.) SEriously, I did appreciate your thoughts and I

promise not to feel silly anymore....unless it will help me feel better!!

Now, since you are always so good at reminding me to take care of myself I am

going to pretend that you are hitting me on the head and will call my doctor

tomorrow.

I've been on antibiotics for supposed bronchitis (diagnosed over the phone)

and think I really need to SEE a doctor who could actually help me. So I am

now promising you (and therefore me) that I will call first thing in the AM.

Now I have to go to bed because my sentences make no sense!!

have a good one,

[Guest guest]

,

When is your appointment? What kind of doctor are you going to go

see? I hope you get a kind, compassionate, effective one this time.

Your diagnosis over the phone made me think... when I had insurance,

they always gave me a diagnosis over the phone and called in scripts.

I was usually right about the illness with my kids so they just

trusted me. I had chronically ill kids. Now that I don't have

insurance, they ALWAYS make me come in. I guess with all my health

issues it is best but sometimes I really could use the money I will

be spending on a doctor. Even if you have insurance, someetimes money

is a luxury we just don't have and I think most would agree with

that.

I think I will be having my own kind of fun come Monday. I broke a

tooth, again... and to have it fixed I must stop my MTX for a week.

That would not be too much of a problem but Thursday I miss the first

dose, Monday I miss the second. Monday I have to fly in a small

private plane to Portland (2 hour trip each way) and I can't take

anti nausea meds. They don't mix well with my other meds. (Sea

bands... here I come!) Flying does not agree well with me because I

get nausea from vision ( vertigo / things going by too fast) and from

the inner ear (equilibrium) AND from the fuel fumes. (I am alergic

and if too far to the rear of a big plane there is enough smell to

get to me.) OH Joy, this should be an adventure. Fevers, pain,

fatigue, nausea, ooh! and I should be participating in the event

customary for women at the same time too. I will need lots of cyber

hugs, self nurturing hugs, and the real ones too. I can't " inject "

again until a week from this coming Monday so if you don't hear from

me, I may be having too much fun " slaying dragons " to " write home "

about it. Smiles, Caroline

So I am

> now promising you (and therefore me) that I will call first thing

in the AM.

> Now I have to go to bed because my sentences make no sense!!

>

> have a good one,

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Dear Caroline,

I am in a funk today. I am starting to get that " fogged out " feeling again;

my hands are totally red and swollen; my knees are killing me, my chest

hurts, etc. etc. Plus I can't focus on anything, say things that make no

sense, etc. You get the idea.

In answer to your question -- " when is my appointment? " GOOD question! To

which I have no answer. I left a message on the doctor's answering machine

today and got no response. I just tried him again and his machine is still

on. He's a rheumatologist -- supposedly a very good one. But he does

research and i think teaches in addition to seeing patients so I think that

may be why I'm having trouble reaching him. I'm not at " emergency " level

yet. But there is an emergency number on his machine and I will call it

tomorrow if I still feel so lousy. (I would call again now but frankly

really just want to sleep. Oh yeah...those four kids I'm supposed to take

care of...maybe my husband will get home soon!) (I also may just be very

sleep deprived because my kids wake me up all night long although I did stay

in bed for about 3 hours today.)

The ironic thing is that when I first was supposed to see this doctor I was

given an appointment with his associate instead. At first I was upset

because he was supposed to be the " king " . Then the associate, Dr. Malik

turned out to be wonderful. I saw her all year and was thrilled -- very easy

to talk to, compassionate, sensitive, etc. Then she left! When I spoke to

the other doctor last week he told me Dr. Malik was coming back to the

practice -- so I'm going to really push to see her.

I'm just frustrated...so thanks for letting me vent.

I am so sorry that you can't take the MTX for a while. There is nothing

worse than feeling miserable and then not being able to take the one thing

that may help. i will think of you in the dentist's chair, and in the air

(hey, why don't you combine both activities? could make it interesting!)

Be well! (I just remembered the rheumy often calls at

night...hmm...will he call or won't he? I also called the Arthritis

Foundation today and requested a list of doctors they think are really good

in case I want to switch.)

[Guest guest]

Hmmm, I think I like that idea! Perhaps I can have the private pilot

perform the build up on my broken tooth during the two hours we are

in the air. How hard do you think it would be to find a pilot /

dentist and then talk him into the idea? Hey, they have auto pilot

don't they? So, maybe they have auto dentist too? I have heard

of " drive by prayer " , do you suppose " fly by dentist " would catch on?

Hope your doctor calls today and that you feel so wonderful tomorrow

you won't need to see him... but go anyway! Thanks for the smile,

Caroline

> Dear Caroline,

>

> I am in a funk today. i will think of you in the dentist's chair,

and in the air

> (hey, why don't you combine both activities? could make it

interesting!)

>

[Guest guest]

Caroline,

I think you have some very patentable ideas...just make sure to cut me in on

a commission!!

Found out that my " old " rheumy (the associate) is not coming back...she's

just covering because the main doc is on vacation. She's supposed to call me

today or tomorrow. Since I feel slightly better today, I'm not going to push

it more. Today I feel yucky but unfortunately it is how I feel a lot of my

days! I am waiting patiently to wake up and feel totally human again....it's

a good thing I'm a VERY patient person!

have a great day,

[Guest guest]

Yea, Suzie Q! Love it when the docs say we're right! Now you're on the road to feeling better. Tell Spyke to behave. Yeah, like he'll listen to me. HA

De

Faith is the ability to not panic.

-----Original Message-----From: suzie [mailto:suzieandsandy@...] Sent: Monday, April 11, 2005 5:06 PMHepatitis CSupportGroupForDummies Subject: Good Advice

Hello All, I saw my doctor last week & Told her about the high ammonia levels. Then I told her that my freinds had suggested Lactulose & she said I have very wise freinds cause that was the PERFECT solution. She told me to take one teaspoonful for the first few days & increase the dosage by the teaspoon full until just before I get diarrhea & then lower the dose back to the one I had before the runs started.

It doesn't taste that bad. Has the consistance of cough syrup & no taste at all. Not something I'd like for dinner but a teaspoonful or two a day won't be too bad. Here's hoping it works .

Spyke's being his usual bratty self. It's claw cutting time & he puts up quite a fight. I've gotten most of one paw clipped(just one claw on that foot) & then we've got the other to start. He'll be sharpening up the stubs he has left.

Love & Light to all,

Suzie & Spyke

[Guest guest]

I agree with everything with the exception of avoiding sunlight. The

sun energy contains UV light which converts egosterol (a component

of cholesterol) into vitamin D. Excessive exposures for sure are

dangerous but lack of any sun light is worse. The eyes need exposure

without sun glasses to stimulate the pitutary gland. Skin cancer

increases the farther above the equator we go. N. Ott performed

extensive studies with all frequencies of light and noted that some

cancers disappeared when the victims spent time in the sun without

sun screens or sun glasses. The media lies and so does the medical

establishment. Look into this matter and you will discover that

melanomas occur more often in office workers than those who work out-

doors. Many melanomas develop in areas never exposed to sunlight.

The toxic chemicals in our skin may be activated by sun light as

some form of a catalist but the sun itself does not cause cancer.

Mankind has existed in direct sunlight and not until recently have

we become succeptable to this disease. The sun doesn't have anything

to do with it. God didn't goof. We do that ourselves. Get out-doors

and enjoy the gift!

Ian Dixon <iandixon25lr@...> wrote:

>

> 8. Wear sunscreen and, as much as possible, avoid outdoor

activities

> when the sun is at its highest.

[Guest guest]

Dear Dory,

That is excellent advice and something I never thought of, but I knew there had

to be a gimmick out there, they are not there to lose money. When they call, I

just immediately tell them I am tapped out and hang up. They don't usually call

again. Since I opted out of getting junk mail, the only cards and labels I get

are from people I do send donations to, as you are then considered a customer

and they are not breaking any laws. I hate the phone solicitors, too, they

always call when you sit down to dinner. Thanks so much for your input.

Hand & hearts,

Lottie Duthu